Theresa May’s “get out of jail free card” to avoid an early General Election will be to call for a “people’s vote” on the final Brexit deal, columnist Rachel Johnson has argued.
Ms Johnson was speaking on the BBC’s Newsnight Programme on Friday when she made the remark.
The columnist and sister of Tory leader hopeful Boris Johnson was discussing a newspaper column written by Remainer Mathew Parris in which he suggested another vote on Europe was becoming “distinctly possible”.
Ms Johnson said: “Matthew Parris’s reasoning is that this leaves Theresa May with really only one option which is to refer the whole thing back to the people.
“Otherwise Labour could force a General Election.
“So her ‘get out jail free’ on avoiding a general election will be to call a people’s vote.”
Ms Johnson argued Mrs May would not have to necessarily resign if she lost the vote in parliament if she then put it back to the people.
The so-called “people’s vote” could, therefore, serve as a political safety net, Ms Johnson implied.
She said: “There is also the assumption that if there is a people’s vote, a second referendum, however you call it, they will have to extend article 50 and the EU will have to agree a negotiating period – an extension of the article 50 period.
“And I would be in favour of that. The country is moving slightly in that direction.
“We never stand in the same river twice.
“Democracy ceases to be a democracy if you can’t allow people to have another go.”
A group of cross-party MPs, including Tory Anna Soubry and Labour’s Chuka Umunna, is spearheading The People’s Vote campaign.
Hollywood star Sir Patrick Stewart also added his voice to the campaign at its inaugural event in April.
The Star Trek actor said: “Our country’s future is at stake and we will not stand idly by.
“That is why I support a people’s vote on the final deal.”